“Whatever that woman is up to, it’s not good. And I’m really concerned for Alex now.”
“She can handle herself.”
“I’m not worried about that,” Hawk said. “It just seems to me that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I’m starting to wonder if she didn’t give Walsh some kind of signal when she spoke.”
“We’ll be ready tomorrow,” Black said. “Let me show you how we’re going to handle the situation.”
CHAPTER 23
THE NEXT MORNING, Hawk awoke to the smell of coffee brewing and bacon sizzling in a frying pan. He looked at his watch with one eye open and then glanced toward the window. It was still dark outside at just a shade past 6:30 a.m.
He groaned and sank back into the couch. “What’s going on? Do you realize what time it is?”
“I sure do, sweetie,” Mrs. Templeton said as she tousled Hawk’s hair. “Your wife and I woke up with a little spring in our step, and she thought it’d be a great idea to make breakfast for everyone.”
“Well, I do operate better on a full stomach, that’s for sure,” Hawk said, forcing a smile as he lumbered toward the table.
He wanted to take a plate to Black and felt a little guilty for eating so well. Meanwhile, Black was probably going to have to woof down a fast food breakfast burrito from somewhere. But Hawk wanted to keep Black’s presence a surprise, especially in light of what he learned about Mrs. Templeton from the FBI agents.
Alex made some eggs and toast, serving as side items for the bacon. Hawk was grateful for the meal and profusely thanked both women before taking a quick shower. Once he got dressed, he questioned Mrs. Templeton again the logistics of getting to El Diablo Point.
“It’ll take us about an hour and a half at this time in the morning, counting traffic and the hike to the spot,” she said.
“Then we need to get moving,” Hawk said. “I want to get there at least a half hour early to make sure that we have all our bases covered.”
She snatched her pack of cigarettes off the table and packed them. Using her tongue, she wrangled one out of the box before igniting the tobacco.
“It’s your show,” she said. “Me and my cancer are just along for the ride.”
Hawk nodded. “I just want to warn you that I might say some unsavory things about you today when your son arrives, but just know that I’m only doing it to extract information from him.”
“Don't fool yourself, Mr. Flannigan. You just want revenge like everybody else. You couldn't care less about justice. I've seen your type. You just want to pump Mack full of lead and fool yourself into believing that the problem has been solved.”
“You don’t know the first thing about me or what drives all my decisions.”
“I know it’s not justice, at least not in this case. My son is likely some low-level grunt, doing the bidding of far more powerful people. Yet, you’re targeting him like the whole system is going crumble if he goes down. It won’t. They’ll just slide someone else into his place and carry on.”
Hawk sighed. “Convince him to work with us. I know you can do that.”
“Mack is as stubborn as they come, just like his father was,” she said.
“What really happened to Mack’s father?”
“I told you that he died.”
“How did he die?” Hawk asked. “Or better yet, how did Mack kill him?”
“I never said Mack killed him,” she said.
“But your face did. What did your first husband do? Beat you? Yell at you? Degrade you? I’m sure it was justified.”
Mrs. Templeton narrowed her eyes. “He died, okay? Mack didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“So you say,” Hawk said. “But I know different. Did he help you with your other three husbands as well?”
“Don’t you dare suggest anything like that ever again,” Mrs. Templeton said. “I’ll report you for kidnapping me to the local authorities. And if you want to talk about justice, I know a half dozen judges here who’d do whatever I say.”
Hawk nodded.
A half-dozen judges who you’re paying off to get these girls through the system.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll call a truce on this, but I swear to you that if things go south today, you’ll be the one getting the brunt of it. Don’t think your son is going to save you somehow. Just go along with our plan, and we’ll leave you alone forever after this morning. Got it?”
“Understood,” she said with a sneer.
“Now grab your keys and let’s go,” Hawk said. “We’re taking your car.”
* * *
EL DIABLO POINT overlooked the valley, and Hawk instantly realized how the location received its name. Anyone who stood on the rock that jutted out from the cliff could see for miles—and feel like royalty overlooking a kingdom.
Hawk climbed up on the boulder and peered out across the land. He looked through his binoculars at the parking lot and gave a subtle signal to Black, who had followed them there. He set up a perimeter alarm along the trail, giving Hawk and Alex a heads up that someone was heading toward them. Once everything was in place, Black was supposed to join them a few minutes before the scheduled rendezvous.
Hawk took Mrs. Templeton’s phone and handed it to Alex. “She’ll be in charge of your cell until your son arrives. I’m sure you understand.”
Mrs. Templeton nodded. “I find it hard to believe that you don’t trust me.”
“You shouldn’t take it personally, Mrs. Templeton. I don’t trust anyone.”
At 9:55 a.m., Black strode into the clearing at El Diablo Point and joined them.
“Who’s this?” Mrs. Templeton asked, her wild eyes wide with fear.
“Just a friend,” Alex said. “You don’t have anything to be afraid of.”
“Has he been here the whole time, just lurking in the trees?”
“He just got here, but he’s going to help us ensure that everything goes smoothly.”
Mrs. Templeton lit another cigarette
